Skills You Have that Your Grandkids Don’t

There’s no denying that modern technology has made all our lives easier these days. From the ability to be in touch 24-7 with our smart phones to our high efficiency appliances, we are moving quicker and getting things accomplished faster than ever before.

However, there’s something to be said about the skills you’ve learned over the course of your life. They’re skills your grandkids may know little about.

Senior Skills

Some of the skills your grandkids are probably lacking today include:

1) Sewing: Today, if clothing gets torn or worn out, people just simply turn them into dust rags or donate them to Goodwill. But in your time, you or your mother was probably an excellent seamstress and tailor. Someone in your family, if not yourself, probably had the ability to make clothes, curtains and hem pants. Along with sewing, you probably know how to iron properly. Your dryer didn’t have a steam or “unwrinkle” option, so ironing was a must. Not only were your clothes always crisp and clean, but your bed linens probably were, too.

2) Writing Letters by Hand: Cell phones and email didn’t exist when you were a teenager, and today, writing letters is becoming a lost art. Likewise, so is cursive writing! When you used to write letters, you probably used a lovely fountain pen and your handwriting resembled calligraphy. You wrote letters to correspond with friends and for business purposes. Today, text messaging and email have made handwriting practically nonexistent.

3) Courting: People used to take their time getting to know each other. Sending a quick text message to someone you were interested in to see if they want to go hang out was not the way it worked. Usually, a suitor would meet the parents first before ever going out on a date, and on the first date, a chaperone might even have been along for the ride.

4) Knowing How to Use a Map: Today’s GPS systems allow for voice-activated, turn-by-turn navigation. But when you used to plan a road trip, all you needed was a paper map, a pen, and possibly some assistance from various gas station attendants along the way. Your grandkids probably can’t figure out how to use a map to get around an amusement park.

5) Basic Home and Car Maintenance: When something in the home breaks down, your grandkids (and possibly even your kids) probably reach for their smartphone and call someone, whether it be a plumber or handyman, to come fix it. The same goes for their cars- if they were to get a flat tire, they simply call AAA or their insurance company to come and assist them. But you were taught by your own parents that if something breaks, you fix it- and you probably have all the skills needed to do basic plumbing, for example, or switch out the spark plugs or battery in your car.

What are some of the skills you have that you’re most proud of? Feel free to share them in the comments section!